Juan Carlos Collada is a multi-media artist with creativity in his DNA. A Miami native, he studied Painting and Printmaking at Miami Dade College. He firmly believes that artists should experience and experiment with various mediums. He has lived and worked as a textile designer in Milan, a furniture designer in San Francisco, a decorative lighting designer in North Carolina and as a fashion stylist in Miami.

Inspired by nature, Collada is best known for his butterfly themed works, ethereal and graceful pieces that climb the walls and take on a life of their own. “When I see a butterfly, I always think it’s going to be a good day,” he said. When he was 6 or 7 years old, his mother embroidered an enormous butterfly on his favorite denim jacket. “It was the most beautiful thing. Unfortunately I don’t have it anymore but I can see it so clearly in my mind.”

As a child, Collada spent time in the Florida Keys enjoying a connection with the outdoors. He was heavily influenced by his surroundings, fostering a life-long love of nature. For him, “home” is the intersection of art, nature, and strong family ties.

Collada’s Collada’s art brings together his love of design and the natural world to create a stunning and unique effect. He currently divides his time between Toronto, Canada and Naples, Florida.

1. What inspires you?

I think the beauty of being an artist is that you have the capacity to find inspiration in many, many places. I find beauty and inspiration in nature, in people’s minds, books… it’s kind of endless. You could put me in an empty room with three inanimate objects and I can pretty much guarantee you I’m going to try to make something that pleases my eye or makes that room a feel a little better for me. When I was a child, I often ignored my toys to build or make something out of found objects around my house or yard. In a way, I wish I still lived in a place where there were a fewer choices. These days if you want some inspiration you need only to turn on your iPad and google something. I have so many ideas at once that I sometimes don’t know where to start.

2. What is your strongest childhood memory of art?

When I was about 4 or 5, my family relocated to Orlando, Florida during the construction of Disney World. My father was a marble mason and had taken a job doing several projects in marble for the theme park. During that time my mother and I found lots of different things to do to keep us entertained. One day we decided to build a two story, free standing house out of line paper, scotch tape, and glue. I think it was the first time that I experienced the satisfaction of having created something beautiful out of ordinary objects. I was fascinated by the idea that one can put effort and imagination together to create a thing of beauty.

3. How does art make you feel?

Full, inspired, peaceful, excited, turned on, frightened, uncomfortable, etc. I think it’s quite subjective and different with all work that I encounter that grabs me. That said, there are many works that do absolutely nothing for me, that I could care less about.

4. What are your biggest influences?

So many things... beauty always. I can instantly fall in love and be moved by the beauty of a person. Not just their physical beauty, but perhaps the way they think, speak, smell. Nature is a huge influence on my work. Like for so many, the early morning or evening light, a beautiful example of vegetation or animal life. Music can move me in a direction.

5. What does art mean to you?

It’s my voice. Although, besides my close friends and family most find me very sociable, I’m actually quite an introvert. Through my many years in fashion, I learned to navigate social scenes in a very superficial way. I actually find it taxing and I avoid it as much as possible. Few see the side of me that is real. It is here where my art takes over in speaking for me. It can show you everything from the insecure, fragile, and curious child in me to the insatiable voyeur that I’ve become in my middle age. Art is a medium, a vehicle in which one can deliver emotions to the recipient ranging from glee to disgust and everything in between. Notice I said can, I don’t want to imply that ALL art does. It’s a way for the artist to purge feelings that they may not normally have the opportunity to manifest otherwise.

6. Name 3 artists you’d like to be compared to.

Isamu Noguchi, Jean Arp, Alexander Calder… but I would be highly surprised if I was ever compared to their greatness. They have been very influential in my life though.

7. Favourite or most inspirational place?

New York as a city has always been the most inspirational. I always return energized and excited with new ideas. My favorite place to work is in the open air anywhere close to water.

8. What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given?

My favorite person in the world, my grandmother, taught me to pursue what makes me happy and to smile through any sadness for tomorrow will be another day.

9. What’s your dream project?

To create very large piece for a public space. Along the lines of Noguchi and Calder.

10. You work in 3 mediums; painting, sculpting and assemblage – is it hard to switch between the 3? Is it a different mindset for each?

It is not so much a different mindset for each medium as it is for each subject. I think I go into different mindsets when approaching a landscape versus a nude figure for example.

11. What’s your favourite place to see art?

Any outside space where many can enjoy although I do love seeing personal collections of people who truly enjoy art. It gives you special insight into what they are all about.

12. What’s the most indispensable item in your studio?

Music.

13. Do you collect anything?

Yes, unfortunately. I love good design almost as much as I love art in general. I collect all sorts of furniture and home accessories by the likes of Arne Jacobsen, Achille Castiglioni, Noguchi, etc.

14. What was the first piece of work you sold?

When I was a student at MDCC there was a student exhibit I entered a painting in. It sparked a huge controversy at the time. It was a homoerotic piece of a nude man with his hand reaching down to his crotch toward the edge of the canvas. It was perceived as controversial by the powers that be and they tried to ban it from the show. The gallery director was a liberal gay man and a friend and he fought to keep it in the show. I was extremely proud of this piece and wanted to keep it for myself so he suggested I place an outrageously high price on it so it would not sell. I priced it at $500 which at the time WAS an outrageous price for me. It was the highest priced piece in the show by far and it was also the only piece sold that year at the student exhibit. I remember feeling the most wonderful Fuck You to the school board who tried to ban it!

15. What work of art do you wish you owned?

Wow, there are so many. I guess any of Isamu Noguchi’s stone sculptures would do the trick!